Harry Potter and the Glass Slipper
by friends-16uk
Summary: Cinerella with a new hero. RHr and Ron isn't the prince. First Fic. Now PG for incredibly weak, not worth mentioning, swearing. Complete, finished, done!
1. It's too early

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters don't belong to me. Typical.  
  
Harry Potter and the Glass Slipper  
  
Chapter 1- It's Too Early  
  
On a thin worn bed lay a sleeping teenage girl. Frizzy curls that framed her face were swayed lightly by the light breaths from between her slightly parted lips. Peace hung in the small room like heavy curtains only to be yanked open by violent shouts.  
  
"Hermione! Hermione! Where are you!" came an enraged call, "Breakfast was meant to be here ten minutes ago.... HERMIONE!"  
  
Eventually the girl stirred, murmuring with discontent," Alright, alright." but the calls didn't stop, "Alright!" she yelled, "I'm coming!"  
  
A shiver coursed through Hermione's body as her feet touched the cold stone floor. But she ignored it as she grabbed her dreary shawl to cover the threadbare nightgown she was wearing and headed for the kitchen.  
  
Ten minutes and twice as many shouts later Hermione made her way up the stairs to the first floor of the modest townhouse.  
  
"Good morning Pansy." Hermione said in a forced cheery voice.  
  
"What took you so long I'm starving?" she admonished as Hermione passed one of the two trays she was carrying to the pretty girl resting in bed.  
  
"You could always make your own breakfast you know"  
  
"What, and break a nail? Go back to the grange cinders. The soot of that cellar is worth more than you"  
  
"And the pig swill more than you"  
  
"Impudent brat!"  
  
"Selfish tart!" Hermione countered as she left her stepsister's bedroom and entered the one next to it.  
  
"So you've already managed to annoy our sister", sighed a female again from a bed.  
  
"More your sister than mine. You share blood whereas I, luckily, only share a piece of parchment."  
  
"Just keep it down. You don't want to wake Father." Hermione handed over the second tray, "If he can sleep through you and Pansy screaming for breakfast he can sleep through anything." With that she left the room leaving Lavender to dig in to her rather comfortable breakfast.  
  
After a quick visit to the well for some washing water and getting dressed for the day Hermione finally settled down to her own breakfast of one egg compared to her sister's three. However the uncommon quiet was soon disturbed by a light squeaking. Hermione looked down to see a familiar black haired mouse with startling green eyes staring at her.  
  
"Hello my little friend," she spoke, "I'm going to have to think of a name for you if you keep turning up like this." She carried on thinking out loud, "Just like my own little pet you've turned up every day for the past month and dodge all of those lovely mouse traps I have to set."  
  
She chuckled at his ingenuity. "I suppose I don't really mind. Although...I wonder why there's only one of you. I mean usually where there's one mouse ther-"  
  
"Hi." She was rudely interrupted by a tall redheaded boy of around the same age as he came through the doorway unannounced, "You do realise that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness don't you?"  
  
"And listening to you is the second. Lock me up now!" she laughed, suddenly her day was looking a whole lot better.  
  
She'd known Ronald Weasley for most of her life. He was sweet and friendly but would do anything to wind her up. They were very close. He knew everything about her and she everything about him.  
  
"Sweet?" he offered, tilting a paper bag towards her that was filled with assorted coloured sweets of blue, green and red.  
  
"Ron. It's nine o' clock in the morning."  
  
"So?"  
  
"It's too early."  
  
"Who cares? Go on, you've already eaten breakfast." he pleaded.  
  
"No! You ask me this everyday..."  
  
"And everyday you refuse me." he finished her sentence. "Do you have any idea of what that can do to a guy's self-esteem?"  
  
"Oh shut up," she laughed and threw a dishcloth at him.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"You asked for it!"  
  
And that's when the fight began. Hermione screamed with laughter as Ron's fingers attacked her tickling her mercilessly around the middle.  
  
"Stop it!" she managed to breathe though her stomach hurt from the giggling, "Okay, Okay. I give up. You win"  
  
Ron stopped suddenly and stared at her worriedly forgetting his hands were still on her waist. "What's wrong? You never give up." The light conversation had suddenly turned heavy.  
  
"I know but he's here."  
  
"What back from that business trip already?"  
  
"Yes. Hence the reason we shouldn't make too much noise. He's probably up by now." Both of them glanced up to the ceiling listening hard for any sounds of movement."  
  
"Hermione, you shouldn't be afraid of your own father." His voice was full of concern.  
  
"Step father. Why my mother married him I'll never know."  
  
"You do know that I'm here if something happens don't you?"  
  
"Yes I know. But I'll be fine its not like he's ever done anything to hurt me. Its just that..."  
  
"He's evil"  
  
"Yes," Hermione whispered. She looked at Ron and caught her breath when she saw the worry there. The friendship that had begun when her mother had still been alive had grown over many years until now she knew she cared deeply about him, as a friend. She'd overhead the rumours that they were courting but they were best friends and best friends don't fall in-  
  
A knock at the door and heavy footsteps brought her out of her contemplation. She then realised that she had been staring at Ron for a while and quickly dropped her gaze to his arms that were still lightly resting on her hips. His eyes followed and he quickly stepped back breaking the contact. Hermione felt a blush begin at the base of her neck and Ron's ears became inflamed.  
  
"You've got to go," she whispered, "you know he doesn't like you."  
  
Ron looked as if he was going to say something but had thought better of it. Nodding his head slightly he left the back door throwing a lopsided grin and a "see you later" over his shoulder.  
  
"Bye" she said to the empty room.  
  
"Girls!" she heard a male voice call, "living room. Now."  
  
Hermione sighed, turned and headed towards the voice. Preparing herself she went through to the living room. 


	2. You've ruined me for life

AN: Don't you just love cliffhangers. And thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! thank you! To all of my reviewers I love all of you! (6 so far and I cherish them all)  
  
Disclaimer: Am I richer to than the Queen? no. So do I own the HP universe? The answer your looking for is no.  
  
Chapter 2- You've Ruined Me for Life  
  
Pansy, Lavender and Hermione were stood up straight, silent and looked directly forward.  
  
"Good morning girls," came an unemotional voice, "I have some very important news." Hermione's stepfather stared at them watching for any imperfection. "We have just been invited to a ball." His hard eyes sparkled oddly in his pale face as he evaluated their reactions. Lavender and Pansy looked delighted however Hermione wasn't sure how to act. She'd never been to that kind of thing before and she wanted to know what was so different about this dance from any other that had so excited the man in front of her.  
  
"Perhaps I should read the invitation out loud so that you may hear it's... full implications."  
  
He cleared his throat,  
  
"Dear Mr Lucius Malfoy,  
  
It is the pleasure of King and Queen Krum to announce the 18th birthday of their son. In celebration of this momentous occasion a ball will be held at Hogwarts castle on the evening of the 12th. All high families of the land are invited to the prestigious event. Expecting your acceptance, P. Wetherby (Palace scribe)"  
  
"Well, "Malfoy asked, "Do you understand the importance of this ball?" Two of the girls just stared at him blankly their heads full of rhythmic music and glittering dresses but Hermione new exactly where this was going.  
  
"It's an engagement ball sir," she answered calmly, "The king is getting old and the prince has come of age. He needs a wife."  
  
"Correct." her stepfather praised grudgingly. He glared at his children. "As you are aware of my only son died years ago leaving me with three useless girls. In the eye of the law the only way you will retain this house is by marrying well. Who could be better than the future king? You will go to this ball and one of you will seduce his majesty into falling in love with you."  
  
"You can't expect a prince to fall for Cinders can you Father!?" Pansy shrieked. Malfoy's lip curled as he looked Hermione up and down, sizing her up. "Well Granger," She'd never be a Malfoy. She didn't want the name and he'd never give it her. "It's a shame that you didn't inherit your mother's looks. Do you want to ensnare a prince?"  
  
Hermione didn't pause before she answered, "I don't want to go with the intention of wooing a prince. Marriage should be based in love. However it would be nice to get dressed up and go out for a change."  
  
"Cinders, I think you'll find that underneath all that grime you're so ugly the guards won't let you in any way," Pansy whispered loudly.  
  
But Lavender defended her, "I think Hermione should go. It'd be a family outing."  
  
Malfoy had a calculating look on his face. "Okay Hermione, you can go," ignoring Pansy's yell of indignation he reached into his pocket pulling out a scroll and carried on speaking, "but first Granger you will complete these chores."  
  
With that he exited the room after forcing a tightly wound scroll of parchment into her hands. The other girls looked at her expectantly so she quickly unrolled it and all of her hopes were immediately dashed. The paper reached to the floor and small cramped words covered the rough manuscript leaving hardly any gaps between them. The list of chores seemed endless.  
  
Lavender smiled apologetically at her Father's horrid task but Pansy simply smirked. Both girls left the room quickly chatting animatedly about the ball. With only a week to the big event it would take a lot of preparation.  
  
"Well I suppose I'll just get started shall I," Hermione said to the little mouse that had been listening intently, its nose just peeking out from behind the door.  
  
"You really want to go to this ball then?" questioned Ron. It was several hours later and given that Hermione only had a week to complete the mammoth task, she'd begun cleaning in earnest.  
  
"Yes," she replied tersely from the floor. She was scrubbing furiously while Ron sat at the kitchen table counting out sweets and not being any help whatsoever.  
  
"Why?" he asked, "No disrespect or anything but isn't dressing up and everything a little, y'know."  
  
"Girly?"  
  
"No, I was going to say not intellectually stimulating".  
  
"To be honest I don't know why I want to go to a silly dance so badly. Maybe I just want to prove something."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Hermione stared at her feet not looking him in the eye she spoke quietly, "Well, I suppose I want to prove that I can be pretty, just like everyone else. And maybe live up to some of my Mother's standards."  
  
Ron just looked at her shocked. He knew that she'd always felt like she was second best to her mother, an renown beauty in these parts, but she'd never doubted herself like this before. "Don' be an idiot!" he said passionately, "You are just as beautiful as your mother," He continued over her protests, "and twice as smart and hardworking."  
  
"No one at the ball is going to care about any of those things. God, even compared to Pansy I'll look like a hag."  
  
Ron had had enough of this now, why couldn't she see that she was the most stunning person he knew. He stood in front of her forcing their eyes to meet. "You'll be the most enchanting woman at that ball next week and the prince is not going to be able to stay away from you. Okay." Hermione was stunned by the force of his promise and could do nothing but nod demurely. "Now, stop being thick. Sit on that chair and help me eat these sweets before I feel sick"  
  
Hermione did as she was told and quickly latched onto a subject she was sure of. "You've sorted them out then," she said pointing out the piles of boiled bonbons.  
  
"Yep. Blue for me, green for you and the reds shared out equally."  
  
"They're flavours not paints you know."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Hermione smiled and picking up a sweet she stared at it for a moment. "You do know that you've ruined me for life don't you," she said mock seriously.  
  
"How do you mean?" he said joining in with the slightly lighter tone of the new conversation.  
  
"Well how am I ever going to be friends with anyone ever again who doesn't meet with the very high standard of loving the sweets I hate and sharing equally the ones we both like?"  
  
"I don't know," he joked, "you'll just have to find something else to share when prince charming falls in love with you at that very girly ball."  
  
"Leave it." Hermione laughed, "Anyway wasn't it a 'not intellectually stimulating ball'?"  
  
Ron just smiled, his mouth already filled with syrupy good things. 


	3. This isn't a fairytale

Disclaimer: Grass is green  
School is dull  
And the sky is blue  
I'm sorry JK  
About the fluff  
But it all came from you.  
  
Chapter 3- This Isn't a Fairytale  
  
She'd done it. She'd worked hard all hours of the day (and night) even forsaking Ron and her reading to get the list of chores done. Now Hermione would get her reward, the ball was tonight and Malfoy had just arrived with the girls' dresses, which he'd saved for that day to prevent damage.  
  
"I've finished, father," uttering the word grudgingly, "so I can go now, can't I?"  
  
Malfoy looked at her and then cast his intolerant eye around the spotless room. "Pansy!" he called, "Lavender! Here now!" The girls arrived promptly. "Here are your gowns. Be careful with them." He handed Pansy a pretty periwinkle dress and Lavender a startling red one. "Don't forget the aim of the evening girls."  
  
"Yes Father," they murmured in awe of the lovely material and ran upstairs eager to try the new robes on.  
  
Hermione felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What about me?" she asked, though already sure of the answer.  
  
"Oops sorry," Malfoy said unconvincingly, "did I forget to give you the other scroll?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out yet another list of chores. The roll was just as long and tightly packed as the one that had taken her a week to work through.  
  
"I won't be able to do this in one evening." she spoke quietly.  
  
"What a shame. Well we'll tell you about it in the morning." He smiled, revelling in her disappointment.  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
"Stupid ball" Hermione thought to herself as she paced around the empty house "why do I want to go so much? Why do I even care!?" She plumped herself down on the kitchen stool and simply stared into the fire that was gently burning and cast odd shadows against the walls. "If I can't go out for just one night then I'm certainly not working."  
  
"At least your not going to the ball," she sighed to the little mouse, "I'll get you some cheese. Mice do like that don't they?" Not waiting for an answer she disappeared into the cellar, returning a moment later with a chunk of cheddar. Which flew into the air as Hermione screamed in fright.  
  
A young woman had appeared in front of her. She wore an iridescent, white dress and held a stick that looked like a wand loosely in her right hand.  
  
"Hello Hermione," she said to the startled girl sweetly.  
  
"Who are you, how do you know my name and what the hell are you doing here!?" Hermione demanded.  
  
"I'm your fairy godmother silly and I'm going to get you to that ball."  
  
"What?" Hermione was trying to take control of the strange situation but for some reason words failed her. Something told her to trust this odd person.  
  
"Hermione dear I thought you were smart," said the girl, perching on the vacated chair.  
  
Hermione stared at the stranger taking in her flaming red hair (which she would of recognised had she been thinking straight) and dazzling white gown simply too shocked to say anything. "This isn't a fairytale," she finally managed to stutter.  
  
"Nope, its much more fun than that. Now reach me a pumpkin and a couple of chickens please," she spoke as if to a small child, yet looking closely Hermione would have seen that her fairy godmother was just as, if not younger, than herself. But she was the one with the wand so Hermione fetched the fruit and chickens.  
  
"Put them on the drive outside," ordered the wand woman. She stared witheringly at the chickens, "I'd usually do this with mice but there don't seem to be many around." A slight smile touched her lips. Hermione didn't understand what was going on so just stood quietly and waited for whatever was going to happen to happen. "Right then first of all you'll need a carriage", her fairy godmother said waving her wand at the pumpkin and then over the chickens, "and horses."  
  
Hermione was pretty sure that the woman was mad. That was until she saw the fruit's colour change from cumin to silver. It then began to swell and bloated to the size of a small room, next it hollowed itself out creating a magnificent carriage.  
  
Meanwhile the chickens had also changed to white and their feathers into hair. Slowly they also grew and as they did their back legs became strengthened with hooves at the bottom and a pair of front legs came from their now solid chest. Finally two snowy, grand stallions stood in front of the satisfied Godmother and terrified heroine.  
  
"Wow," was the only word that Hermione's brain would let her stutter.  
  
"Almost done Hermione, just you now."  
  
"Me?" she squeaked.  
  
"Of course! Can't have you turning up at a ball in those rags now can we. What would your mother think?" She then waved her wand for the third time. Hermione's threadbare dress became elongated and elegant, silver in colour and emphasised with small diamonds becoming dazzling without becoming gaudy. Her hair was swept up and calmed framing her face that was coated with a thin layer of natural makeup. Finally Hermione's worn slip on shoes became delicate glass slippers.  
  
She stared at her reflection in a handy pool of water and gasped at the sight, "Thank you." she breathed not recognising herself.  
  
"My pleasure. Now what you absolutely must remember is that at 12 o'clock tonight everything will return to how it was before, okay?  
  
"Okay," Hermione barely heard what she was saying, "but this is magic, it's dangerous for you. Why are you helping me?"  
  
The fairy godmother ignored her question, "I mean it, 12 o'clock sharp," she reminded, "Now off you go."  
  
"Thank you," Hermione whispered again as she boarded the coach which magically knew exactly where to go, "Goodbye," she shouted out as she neared the outer gates.  
  
"Goodbye Hermione!" her Godmother called back.  
  
Just as the carriage left the driveway the mouse appeared and boldly ran up to the lady left behind.  
  
"Hello Harry," she welcomed waving her wand.  
  
Immediately a teenage boy stood in front of her with startling green eyes and messy black hair. "How come you get her wonderment and awe and I get cheese?" his voice full of annoyance.  
  
"Because you're new at this and you have to work your way up that's why. But you can have this dress if you want its very uncomfortable."  
  
He just glared at her, "Its still not fair."  
  
"I had to do it. If it makes you feel any better I'm sorry."  
  
"Fine, but why a mouse Ginny? And why them?"  
  
"Because before you can do this job well you need to understand true love and so you should learn that it's the small things that matter the most." Harry didn't look convinced. "And these two are important to me."  
  
"Does your brother even know that you're setting him up?"  
  
"Merlin no! He thinks I get my money as a milkmaid. Do you realise how few respectable jobs there are for women these days?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Not many. It was a fluke that I got this cupid job."  
  
"So you're sure that this is going to work?"  
  
"Yes. Jealousy has always forced my Ron to act and if things stay as they are those two will never tell each other how they feel. Anyway it's time Hermione had some fun."  
  
"What if we get this wrong and people get hurt."  
  
"That won't happen," she stated defiantly.  
  
"It could go either way."  
  
"Well it's on both of our heads if it doesn't go well and you don't get many chances."  
  
"I'm doing my best but those two are incredibly stubborn."  
  
"I haven't seen you do anything."  
  
"I'm playing the symbolism card," Harry said smugly.  
  
"The symbolism card?" she asked doubtfully.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Right."  
  
"This will work."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Won't it?"  
  
AN: Thank you to tiiffiany-45, luthiengranger2004 and tiggieotoo who have all reviewed twice. Can anyone spot Harry's symbolism idea?  
  
I'm trying to put up chapters a couple of times a week but from now on they get slightly longer and I'm really getting into my exams now. The story is finished it just needs typing up and I'm not exactly the fastest in the world. 


	4. I am so fired

AN: I can't believe the reviews I've got. You guys make my day. I am so so sooooooooooo sorry about the wait but the last week has just been really full.  
  
Disclaimer: The Earth is flat, grass is purple and I own HP. What a great parallel universe that would be.  
  
Chapter 4- I Am So Fired  
  
This was it. The carriage had pulled up in front of the castle and luckily all the doormen were busy. Hermione was still in too much shock to explain how the horses had been guided without a driver. Inside she could hear music playing and people laughing as she gathered her thoughts and tried to bring back her wits. Ready or not she headed towards the entrance, walking quickly when she thought she felt a couple of raindrops land on the back of her neck.  
  
The temperature outside was freezing so it was a relief to get into the castle, which she had always seen from a far but never entered. The stone hallway was still mingling with latecomers so it took sometime for her to reach the great hall. But finally she stepped through the welcoming wooden doors and entered the throng of things.  
  
The king had obviously wished to offer his son as much choice as possible as the hall was full of people. There were so many dancing partners that had Hermione not looked so wonderful she would have been crushed, but still in a daze she didn't notice the path opening in front of her. She'd never been to this kind of thing before and had no idea of what to say or how to act. For the first time in her life she felt relief at the sight of the Malfoys. Pansy was dancing with a man Hermione recognised as owning a large tailoring firm but as she glanced at Lucius this didn't explain the wide grin and evil sparkle in his eyes. Hermione looked around the hall searching for the cause of his pleasure, what she saw surprised her. There, in the middle of the dance floor stood Lavender and a tall, thin, slightly duck footed eighteen year old. Evaluating his regale clothing, Malfoy's stare and the amount of space around the couple Hermione could only guess that this was Prince Krum. They seemed to be enjoying light conversation and very little dancing was taking place to the waltzing music, which was being played by an orchestra at the front of the hall. Hermione didn't have a choice; Lavender was the only person she could talk to at this ball and she couldn't see anyone else she knew. She knew she couldn't stay where she was looking like an idiot all night. Hermione would just have to introduce herself. Walking towards the smiling couple she forced down her doubts, she'd ask Lavender's advice then leave them to it; she honestly didn't want to disturb them. Finally Hermione reached the pair.  
  
"Excuse me," she said tentatively and as politely as possible.  
  
Lavender and the Prince stared at her and an odd look passed across Krum's face. "Who are you?" Lavender asked defensively and somewhat protectively.  
  
"Don't you recognise me? I'm your sister," Lavender's eyes widened in disbelief and then with joy.  
  
"You made it!" she squealed in delight, "How did you get here?" Hermione didn't really want to answer, magic was prejudiced against as something evil and mischievous at this point in time of the country's history. However before she had had chance to think up an excuse she was interrupted.  
  
"Care to introduce us Lavender?" the pretty girl looked back at the prince confused at the odd tone in his voice.  
  
"Of course," Lavender said, "Your Highness this is my sister."  
  
"A pleasure to meet you," he said lifting her left hand to his lips and staring into her eyes. Glancing back into his Hermione got lost in their depths and the two of them just stood, gazing at each other for what seemed like forever and a day. In the world that was now far away Hermione thought she heard Lavender mutter something about being thirsty, and with a hurt look in her eyes, leave the new couple.  
  
"You are so beautiful," Krum breathed. Caught off guard Hermione could only mutter a polite thanks. "No, do not call me prince," he said, "a beauty like you should not stand on ceremony. Call me Victor."  
  
Hermione smiled warmly. Whether it was the new experience of the ball or Victor's unwavering devotion to her Hermione bathed in the joy of the night. They laughed and talked together but for most of the night just stood staring into each other's faces. She wasn't one to believe in love at first sight but here she was drowning in it. Ignoring everyone else and the little voice at the back of her head that said something wasn't right Hermione danced the night away.  
  
In the four corners of the room stood four very different people. In the left hand crevice surrounded by servants sat the king. After watching the couple for half an hour he was already organising the wedding plans.  
  
Stalking the right hand corner stood Malfoy who glared at the strange, stunning woman not realising who she was.  
  
Lavender leaned on the wall of the top left joint slowly drinking a very strong cocktail, salty tears shining in her eyes and a hurt expression on her face.  
  
Finally in the top right meeting of walls seethed a red haired figure that was slowly going crimson with rage. Ron had managed to get in tonight with the sole intention of making sure Hermione enjoyed herself and maybe wind her up a little; he had no idea of Malfoy's earlier broken agreement that was meant to stop her from coming. He'd recognised Hermione as soon as she'd arrived. How could he not? Now he was staring at her but unlike Krum's drowning he was boiling. A thousand thoughts were running through his head. How could she do this to him? It wasn't fair!  
  
No.  
  
He didn't mean that it wasn't fair because he didn't think of her like that. Then there must be another reason for him wanting to punch the Prince's lights out. Lavender! That was it. Krum had hurt Lavender- the only one of that horrible family to be nice to Hermione and he'd upset her. Yes, that was the reason. It had nothing to do with the way they were standing so close together. Nothing at all to do with Hermione laughing at one of His jokes and not Ron's. Nothing at all. But saying this mantra over and over again in his mind wasn't helping in the slightest.  
  
Up on the roof watching through a window sat two very worried people.  
  
"Erm, Harry who did you give the love potion to?" asked Ginny carefully resting on her haunches.  
  
"Hermione and Krum like you said."  
  
"Right, okay. And how much did you give them?"  
  
"A bottle each like you said," said Harry slightly confused.  
  
"Yep I thought so." She suddenly turned and slapped him round the back of the head. "YOU IDIOT!"  
  
"Hey! What did I do?"  
  
"I said half a bottle each."  
  
"Then why did you give me two bottles?"  
  
"In case something went wrong!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Yes oh. In fact, oh, is the understatement of the year!" she screamed at him.  
  
"Ginny look I'm sorry okay. I thought it was a bit excessive but I'm new at this. Obviously I got it wrong."  
  
"Obviously," she breathed deeply a couple of times and calmed down slightly. "Harry I'm sorry I shouldn't have yelled like that. I should have been clearer, you're right you're new at this. Merlin. It's just that this is really, really not good."  
  
"What's wrong with the extra potion?"  
  
"It was only supposed to be a little bit. That's all that was need." She whispered in horror, "Just enough to make Krum forget about any other girl for just one night and for Hermione to have more fun."  
  
"So what's happened now?"  
  
"They've fallen in love. Full on, heart engulfing, love at first sight."  
  
"Okay, so what's the antidote?"  
  
"There isn't one."  
  
"What!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Not for that much of the potion."  
  
"Merlin we're fired."  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Ginny is there anything we can do? It can't be too late."  
  
"It's out of our hands, it's up to them now."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Love like this... I suppose it's more like lust. It's an addiction and like all addictions you have to realise that there's a problem before you can get better. Basically they have to realise that they're not right for each other."  
  
Harry and Ginny sat in quiet contemplation for several minutes with a sick feeling in their stomachs. Finally Harry spoke after staring into the hall below, "Well at least part of the plan worked."  
  
Ginny looked to where he was pointing and smiled lightly. "Yes Ron is going a bit red isn't he."  
  
"Is it treason if you hit a prince?"  
  
"Yep, why?" she asked but then answered her own question when she looked below. "Damn. You better get down there and distract him before he does something stupid," she said transfiguring Harry back into a mouse and lowering him into the mess of the night. "I am so fired."  
  
AN: By the way does anyone know why I have 18 reviews in my yahoo account but only 15 showing up on fanfiction even after the whole 24 hour thing? 


	5. Damn!

AN: We're about half way through! Yay!  
  
Disclaimer: If I were J K Rowling I'd be reading ff checking out my competition and cursing how close some of the writers are to my final plot, not writing the stuff trying to work out my own style!  
  
Chapter 5- Damn!  
  
Hermione was swanning around the house with a fantastic smile on her face. Last night had been amazing; she'd had the most fun of her life and fallen in love. Of course the object of her affections didn't even know her name or where she lived and then there'd been how the night ended....  
  
Hermione had danced the night away forgetting everyone in the room- and the time limit. When the clock had struck twelve she'd jumped in shock already beginning to feel the magic fade. Leaving suddenly she'd shouted apologies over her shoulder to the stunned and dumbfounded prince. Terrified of what was going to happen Hermione had leapt into he pumpkin transfigured carriage and urged it to take her home quickly. It had obliged but as it raced back to the house it had turned orange under her touch. Finally she had reached the front drive of the house, where she was thrown out into the puddle that had earlier shown her attractive reflection but now soaked her original common dress. Turning she looked to where the splendid coach had been to see a pumpkin with two chickens clucking around it. Hermione wondered if she had fallen and hit her head, wondered if it had all been a dream. However looking at her feet she'd seen one glass slipper resting on her right foot- the other must have fallen off during the scramble home. Feeling hazy she'd gathered herself together and stumbled into bed.  
  
.... Now fingering the glass slipper all of the unfortunate events of the past evening were forgotten and replaced by the memory of those deep, dark eyes. Lost in the fantasy she didn't hear the conversation that was taking place in the next room.  
  
"Lavender," Malfoy stormed, pacing the room, "what happened? Everything was going perfectly. Why you didn't send that girl away as soon as she appeared I'll never know."  
  
Lavender just stood there quietly. It wasn't that she felt guilty about disappointing her father but she had actually liked the charming prince and couldn't believe what Hermione had done. She'd always stuck up for her sister and never thought she'd hurt her so willingly like this.  
  
Malfoy carried on only was now in a slightly resigned tone, "Well I suppose you didn't have much chance against that beautiful stranger."  
  
"What?" Lavender questioned coming out of her meditation, "You didn't recognise her?"  
  
"No. Why should I?" He continued his pacing, "Probably some foreign princess wi-"  
  
""Father!" she interrupted, "it was Hermione!"  
  
"Don't be stupid," he countered, "of course it wasn't Hermi...." His voice broke off as he realised who the mysterious figure of the night really was. "Of course it was Hermione," he breathed talking to himself, "but I don't understand. How did she get there?"  
  
Just then came a steady knock at the front door. The Malfoy's maid, Winky, opened it to be pushed aside by an entourage of people who forced their way into the living room to the astonishment of the occupants.  
  
A fanfare filled the room, "Hear ye! Hear ye!" cried the messenger. "All stand in welcome for Prince Krum the majestic and awesome. His future king wishes to seek and wed the beautiful lady of the night. The young woman whose foot fits this glass slipper," he announced presenting the shoe on a purple, puffed pillow, "shall become princess of all that is fair and free in this land."  
  
The Prince then stately entered the room; not perturbed by the lack of riches he headed directly for Malfoy. "Kind sir," he began slightly pompously, "it would do me a great honour to marry your wonderful daughter for whom I can not yet name but would she fit this precious footwear there would be no limit to my joy."  
  
The Prince's face was full of such urgency and love that it was all Lavender could do but to look at him, pained with every glance. Malfoy stared at the Prince who he couldn't possibly refuse. The day had started badly but now maybe he could turn this to his advantage.  
  
"I know of which young lady you speak." Malfoy replied, choosing his words carefully, " However you would be depriving this family of one of its greatest attributes."  
  
Lavender gaped at her father in disbelief. She and the prince knew exactly where this was going. Krum spoke with a disgusted look in his eyes, "Of course your family would be.... compensated for the loss of a daughter."  
  
"She is very valuable your majesty."  
  
"I can believe that and I'm sure that you and my financial adviser will be able to work something out."  
  
Malfoy nodded his head, walked to the door and called, "Hermione Granger! Visitor!"  
  
Krum quickly found a mirror and, smoothing down his expensive clothing, ignored Lavender as she made her way out of the room, pausing by her father.  
  
"I can not believe that you just sold out your own daughter," she whispered harshly.  
  
Malfoy was unfazed, "She gets a prince and we get the comfort we deserve. Anyway, she isn't my daughter." Lavender just shot him a disgusted look and left the room.  
  
Hermione had heard her name being called and gave Lavender a confused look as the past in the hallway. Closely behind followed Pansy, her curiosity stirred by the noise.  
  
Krum and Hermione's eyes met from across the room and they were instantly drawn to each other. Drinking in each other's presence they both ignored the nagging little voice at the back of their minds that was saying that there was something seriously not right.  
  
"What is going on here?" Pansy questioned breaking the couple out of their reverie.  
  
The messenger stepped forward and repeated his earlier message.  
  
"Ha! You think that that Hermione is The One?" she guffawed.  
  
Krum cut her off with sweet tones, talking softly to Hermione he said, "I know she is."  
  
Pansy simply stared in shock at as Krum placed the glass slipper onto his true love's foot. "Miss Hermione Granger," at least he knew her name now, "it would give me the greatest honour if you would consent to be my wife."  
  
Hermione screamed her positive answer and, swinging her arms around his neck, kissed him lightly on the cheek. But all the while at the back of her mind something didn't feel quite right.  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
A couple of hours later Hermione was in the kitchen sweeping the floor (out of familiarity rather than necessity). After Krum had left to tell his family the wonderful news she'd settled into her usual routine and tried to order the chaotic day in her head.  
  
Her train of thought was broken when she saw a familiar mouse sitting on the side. Instantly she forgot what she was doing as she saw that the light that had sparkled in those green eyes were dull and his fur seemed lifeless. Quickly she found some cheese and placed it in front of him but he wouldn't touch it.  
  
"Oh what's wrong?" she cried, "If you were human I'd say you were stressed."  
  
"You have no idea," Harry thought to himself.  
  
"I'm just being silly, of course you're going to be nervous around humans." The analysis over Hermione contented herself by stroking his fur and started to daydream about the morning- again.  
  
Suddenly a whirlwind entered the room. Rom had come in seemingly calm but that was just the eye of the storm as he boiled inside.  
  
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" He asked, though already quite aware of the answer. Amazingly Hermione didn't pick up on the tension in his voice.  
  
"I'm getting married!" she squealed in delight, happily swinging her arms around his neck. Ron stood in shock and anger not responding to her embrace. "Ron what's wrong?" she asked confused.  
  
"What's wrong? What's wrong!? You've met him twice in the last twenty four hours, decided you're going to marry him and you ask me what's wrong!?"  
  
She couldn't understand his reaction, "I don't get it. I love Victor, what is the problem."  
  
"Oh, Victor now is it? Until a couple of hour ago Vicky didn't even know your bloody name!"  
  
"Ron don't swear," he rolled his eyes at her, "and don't call him that."  
  
"What, Vicky?"  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
"Y'know, Hermione, I'd never have thought that you would be one to go after the money."  
  
"How dare you," she whispered, "we are in love."  
  
The hurt in her eyes killed him even more than the thought of them together. And Ron wanted to stop hurting her, he really did, but why couldn't she see what she was doing to him?  
  
"Anyway how is anything I do or who I do it with anything to do with you?" she continued.  
  
"It has everything to do with me. I'm your best friend. This just isn't you okay, you hardly know the bloke. He could be using you! I bet he won't even marry you, just use you as a bit on the side until he can find a real princess."  
  
The sound of the slap that Hermione swung at Ron not only shut him up but also echoed around the now completely still room. "You know nothing about us," she hissed, "we are in love."  
  
"This is lust not love!"  
  
Again the room was silenced but the anger had dissipated slightly as Hermione sat on the kitchen stool worn from the fighting and horrified when she realised what she'd done. But she wasn't going to apologise for something he deserved instead she tried explaining it to him.  
  
"Look," she began, "it's not like there's anyone else."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm going to have to leave here someday and I know that even if we fell in love quickly we are in love. I'm not going to slow down just because you tell me to."  
  
Ron was still coming to terms with her earlier statement, "You think that no one cares for you like that?"  
  
"No Ron," she sighed, "I know that no one cares for me like that."  
  
Harry lifted his sore head, which he'd been banging against the table in despair. Maybe there was some hope for them after all he thought as he saw the look of realisation that had appeared on Ron's face.  
  
"You're wrong Hermione someone does care for you like that."  
  
"Who?" she asked in disbelief, nevertheless for some reason her heart started to race.  
  
But Ron bottled it. He'd only just worked out why he'd gotten so mad about Krum, why he had to protect her, why he felt more alive anytime he was near her. How was he meant to explain that to her now? His mouth gaped trying to form the words. In the end he gave up his spluttering and simply left, muttering something about being sorry, leaving a very confused Hermione and frustrated Harry in his wake.  
  
The mouse banged his head against the table. Damn!  
  
AN: Vels thanks for ur reviews and ur not the only one that's confused.  
  
To those that still stick with me thank you for your support but I seriously doubt that the next chappie will be out within the next 2 weeks.  
  
To any new readers (if you exist) if I were you I'd just wait until the summary says COMPLETE and then read the thing as a whole. 


	6. Something missing

AN: I've finished my GCSEs YAY! (Author does little dance round the room... until realising that she now has to get a summer job or parents will kill her)  
  
PS: Thank you for your patience I love all readers- I am one.  
  
Disclaimer: Day something-or-other in the Big Brother house and friends16uk still does not own Harry Potter.  
  
Chapter 6- Something Missing  
  
It was a week after Krum's proposal and the couple hadn't left each other's sight since. After Ron's harsh words Hermione had decided that maybe he was right- but only about some things of course- after all, she barley knew the Prince and she wasn't exactly behaving like herself. Nevertheless, the problem was easily rectified by them simply spending more time together. Krum had loved the idea.  
  
It had been a fantastic week. After a comfortable meeting of the parents the couple had set out to do some sightseeing. So with Krum's butlers, servants and their servant's servants, Hermione and he went on a romantic tour of the country. In fine coaches they sipped rich wines, ate fabulous foods and all was well.  
  
That was except for the constant barrage of people, the very conspicuous bodyguards and the indigestion. At first Hermione enjoyed getting out of ordinary, old townhouse and was loved the stunning architecture of the Royal buildings.  
  
However, she soon realised how awkward she felt when people bowed to her constantly. The large hallways became oppressing until even Hogwarts, where she'd found the love of her life, seemed gaudy and garish. Hermione longed to cook her own food or choose her own clothes and sometimes Krum himself would make her feel uncomfortable when they went to kiss. She loved being with him but, oddly, every time they did something more than platonic she felt guilty. Nevertheless Hermione ignored the warning bells and attributed it simply to her mind adapting to a place where- for the first time in her life- she didn't have to lift a finger.  
  
For Krum as well something wasn't quite right. Even though they talked for hours he still didn't feel like he knew the new girl in his life. They chatted about everything under the sun until she knew every one of his anecdotes and he all of her favourite stories. But still at the back of his mind, even though they made great friends, there was just... something missing.  
  
One little mouse could see this all quite clearly. All he needed was a way to show the two contrived lovebirds who they should really be with, and everything would work out. Harry blamed himself for the mistake and even though Ginny had shared the guilt when filling out the incident forms he knew that it was his fault, and _he_ was going to be the one to sort it out.  
  
But how do you get two people to admit that they don't love each other when, to any outsider and themselves, its obvious that they should. For now the whole country had heard of the engagement and were waiting in keen anticipation for the happy event. It was time to bring out the big guns- symbolism, the key to any good fairytale.  
  
The couple were sitting outside in a field full of lush, green grass enjoying a picnic by themselves (and forty other people). Harry dragged the bag up the side of the wicker, luncheon basket, thinking -and not for the first time- that it would be really great to be human again, and dropped it inside. Just in time as it turned out when a large hand descended into the woven hold.  
  
"Hermione, my love, are you still hungry?" Krum asked.  
  
She smiled at him warmly, "I suppose I could eat some dessert please."  
  
"Colin," he called, "could you bring us some dessert."  
  
A young lad eagerly jumped to the task, "Would his majesty prefer chocolate cake or flavoured sweets sir?"  
  
Krum passed the question over to Hermione through a look and she answered, "Well, it's been ages since I had some sweets." It was before the ball, she thought to herself. For some reason thinking about Ron felt odd, she hadn't done it a lot recently and now felt guilty that she hadn't. Why when she was having such a great time with Krum would she have the sudden and desperate urge to see Ron? She wanted to tell him about how the rich lived and listen to the jokes she imagined he'd make about spending hundreds of pounds on one meal; and then he'd ask her why she wasn't doing anything about servant rights. The nagging voice was getting louder.  
  
"Hermione love, would you like a blackberry?"  
  
"Hmm," she mumbled coming out of her daze.  
  
"The sweets. Would you like a blackberry flavoured one."  
  
"Oh, sorry I was in my own world for a moment there. I'd rather have the green if you don't mind. I don't like the blue ones."  
  
She expected him to put back the offending sweet and was surprised when he pushed her to have it any way. "Well I only like the apple and cherry, the blackberries make me ill," he pressed.  
  
"I suppose I could eat some of the blue," she sighed not fully understanding why they couldn't just share the others.  
  
Time dragged on and after a while she ended up leaving the horrid hardboileds and asking for the chocolate cake whilst Krum scoffed the lot. Sitting there watching him eat and gazing at the slowly disappearing candy Hermione's memory stirred to the last time she'd had the sweets and finally had an epiphany.  
  
"Victor! I've got it!" she exclaimed out of the blue causing the prince to jump backwards in surprise. He stared at her confused as she continued, "Haven't you thought that something wasn't quite right for a while now," he nodded in agreement and the mouse did a little jig behind the basket. "We aren't right for each other, we aren't in love!" she choked after saying the last thought out loud but then realised that it was the truth.  
  
"We are not in love?" Krum questioned uncertainly then he smiled in acceptance. It was as if speaking the words out loud broke the spell. "We are not in love. Good friends yes and I think that you are a great person but..."  
  
"It just isn't right," she finished. They looked into each other's eyes and burst out laughing. The startled looks from the servants around them brought Hermione back down to earth. She put her head in her hands and sighed, "Oh, this is going to take a lot of clearing up."  
  
Krum's smile took her worries away, "Who cares? I am a prince. We will blame it on a royal whim, I am allowed several of those until I become king." The couple of friends laughed again and carried on talking all night. No sweet nothings this time, just to people talking about how they were going to get themselves out of a right mess.  
  
Towards the end of their chat Krum asked a question that had been on his lips all night, "What made you realise that we weren't right for each other? I mean I knew it myself but I just could not find the words or really think clearly at all."  
  
"I don't know. To be honest I was just thinking about R-"Hermione sat back in shock.  
  
"What is it?" he questioned at her sudden break off.  
  
"Nothing," she answered quickly.  
  
"Hermione I know you well enough to know when you are lying," he persisted.  
  
She looked at him, unsure of herself, "I knew that I wasn't in love with you when... when I... when I realised that I was in love with someone else."  
  
"Who?" the prince asked, genuinely interested.  
  
"Ron," she whispered still coming to terms with herself.  
  
Krum hadn't heard her mention his name during their week together, "Who is he?"  
  
"My best friend." She wasn't really talking to Krum but to herself, "Our mothers were best friends so we grew up together. He drives me up the wall deliberately and then he'll say something so sweet that I feel like... I'm on top of the world." As she'd talked a smile had crept onto her lips but her face suddenly frowned as she remembered how she'd acted since the ball. "I can't go back," she whispered.  
  
"What?" Now Krum was very confused.  
  
"Back to the town house, to Malfoy." All of a sudden she remembered Lavender. Remembered her hurt look at the ball and then again when she'd met the prince for the second time. Hermione wondered what would have happened at that ball had she not been there. How could she ever make this up to Lavender?  
  
And then there was Ron. He'd been a friend looking out for her and she'd thrown it back in his face. What kind of person did that make her? She knew one thing for sure and that was that couldn't possibly see him again; the guilt was just too overwhelming. And the was no possible way that Ron could feel the same way about her as she felt towards him. No. It was better if she just left.  
  
Hermione explained this all to the prince, seeing her so distressed and tears in her eyes he felt that he had no choice but to help, "Well, I have the power to get you somewhere else."  
  
"Could you?"  
  
"Only if your are absolutely sure though."  
  
"I am."  
  
Krum really wasn't sure about this. At the back of his memory a moment stirred from the ball involving a red head that was shooting daggers at him throughout night. Grudgingly he conceded, "When do you want to go?"  
  
"As soon as possible." Yes, the sooner she left the sooner she could move on.  
  
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your family?"  
  
"What family? Lavender is the only person in that house to care and she probably hates me by now."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She likes blue sweets." Krum just looked at her confused. "Don't worry, it doesn't matter now. But you do have a point. Could I have some parchment and a quill please?"  
  
"Certainly. Collin," he called, "writing implements please."  
  
The boy practically burst at being of use twice in one day and the items appeared promptly.  
  
"I have one more favour to ask."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Make sure that you give this letter to Lavender personally."  
  
"Okay," if he was confused by the request he didn't show it, "But what about Ron?"  
  
"Lavender will pass on the news." Krum looked at her accusingly. "Stop it," she defended herself, "the last time we spoke we argued. One of the worst we've ever had. He'll hate me now."  
  
"I do not believe that for a moment."  
  
"It doesn't matter anyway. Don't you understand? I don't think that I could be anywhere near him knowing that we could only ever be... friends. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's not me that you should be apologising to." Hermione just gave him a death stare and a very depressed mouse was running out of ideas.  
  
AN: If it isn't clear yet Harry's symbolism thing is the sweets. Not great I know but there you are. 2 chapters and an epilogue left keep reading plz. 


	7. Running

AN: Okay this is filler and I'm very sorry because although it needs to be here plot wise it is annoying that I can't just write up the conciliation straight away. This was also the hardest part of the whole thing to write so please ignore my inadequacies.  
  
Disclaimer: I hate this chapter and would rather JK owned it- but what can you do.  
  
Chapter 7- Running  
  
"Okay then here are the tickets. You leave from the west coast in a few hours," Krum explained whilst handing over the documents. At Hermione's instigation he'd got them quickly, it was the day after they'd realised that they could only ever be friends. The day after Hermione had decided to run away.  
  
"Thank you Victor, I don't know how I'll ever repay you for what you've done for me."  
  
"You could talk to Ron." He'd tried again and again to get her to talk to the lad but nothing worked. He knew that Hermione was an incredibly stubborn person and that there was no way that he could be the one to convince her to stay.  
  
"Will you please stop doing that," Hermione pleaded, "I can't do that. I just can't. If only I could think of someway to explain this to you..." she thought for a moment, "It's like... it's as if you have this idea in your head and all you want to do is make that idea- that fantasy- real, but it depends solely on another person. I suppose I'd rather have my last images of Ron as someone protecting me or being angry at me rather than... Look, I just can't. Anyway," she smiled weakly, "you know what they say- out of sight out of mind."  
  
Krum bit back the words he wanted to say or else she'd just end up running away from him as well. He valued their friendship too much.  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
A few miles away a very similar conversation was taking place though with a few slight differences: it was very one sided and had the potential to end slightly more positively.  
  
"What am I meant to do ay? I finally work out that what I've been feeling for her for god knows how long and now I'm just meant to go up there and say 'hi Hermione leave that rich prince and come with me to my comparative mud hut."  
  
"Well, you might want to go with something slightly more romantic but that's the general idea, yep" thought Harry. He and Ron had been sitting outside the Malfoy residence for an hour now with Ron just trying to work up the courage to knock on the front door let alone actually ask where Hermione was right now.  
  
"Oh, why am I talking to a mouse," Ron groaned, slumping his face into his hands. Slowly he got to his feet, "okay I can do this," he muttered and took two steps towards the front door.  
  
He then stopped, turned and ran back to the safety of the wall. It was a record. Before that any attempts he made only got as far as one step before he turned tail. Harry was close to dropping the façade completely- he might not have been able to speak to Ron but he was ruddy close to writing, "Hurry up you stupid twit" on the ground in front of them.  
  
Again Ron stood, again he took a few steps forward and yet again he took several more back. The mouse just closed his eyes and decided that maybe he could learn to love cheese because after this mess he was going to be eating it for a very, _very_ long time.  
  
That was until he looked up into Ron's face because this time something different was happening; the terrified lad was taking deep breaths with his eyes tightly closed. Ron remembered the rumours he'd heard- but not dared to believe- about the engagement being broken off. With the slight feeling of hope this time when he stood it was with grim determination, this time when he walked it was with purpose and this time when he did make war with the door (and himself) he won. And so, with a little mouse trying to keep up behind, Ronald Weasley entered the hated Malfoy residence.  
  
The inside was quite different from what he remembered. On the one hand it was a lot richer with amazing sculptures and glorious tapestries donning the hallways (paid for by Hermione's engagement to the prince), but on the other hand the place was cold. Emotionally the place was empty and lost, the wealth was worthless and created an atmosphere of depression that clouded every room.  
  
Taken back by the feelings of dread that came over him Ron moved through the house carefully, gradually searching for any sign of life. As he walked up the lightly dusted stairs he heard sounds coming from one of the bedrooms. Politely he entered after knocking and was admitted into the only room in the house that showed any sign of life.  
  
"Hi Ron," welcomed Lavender from her seat at a writing desk, "What are you doing her? I would have thought that you'd have been trying to stop her- or at least be seeing her off."  
  
Ron just stared at her confused whilst Harry was still having trouble getting up the first step of the stairs.  
  
"Don't tell me she never actually told you. I mean when Victor brought the letter round," at this she had a slight smile on her lips, "well, I thought she'd change her mind. I know he said he'd try to get her to."  
  
"Lavender," Ron cut off, beginning to get quite exasperated, "what _are_ you on about? Never mind, where's Hermione?"  
  
"Well I was trying to tell you-"she began indignantly but quickly answered at the glare he gave her, "She's boarding a boat as we speak."  
  
"What!" Ron yelled, "So Krum isn't satisfied with filling her head full of lies he has to take her away completely." His blood began to boil and his fists to clench before Lavender took action to calm him down.  
  
Quickly she jumped up and placed her hands on his shoulders. Staring up into his eyes she tried to explain as much as she could, "This wasn't the Prince's fault okay." She forced Ron to look at her as he shook his head in disbelief, "Look, if it's anyone's fault it's yours for not saying anything years ago."  
  
Taking advantage of his now confused state she pushed him into the vacated chair. "She sent me a letter explaining everything. Saying how she'd made a huge mistake. How she couldn't face my father and how... and how she couldn't face you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes you, you numbskull. She broke off the engagement when she realised that it wasn't Victor she cared for. No, it was you and now she's gone and got it into her head that you could never feel the same way and has run off so that she never has to deal with us."  
  
"With us?" Ron spoke the only words he could think of clearly as this unexpected news had shocked him completely. He didn't even really listen to her answer.  
  
"Yeah, she thinks I hate her as well. I mean yes I was quite angry but-" she began mumbling again.  
  
"She thinks I hate her? How could she _ever_ think that?"  
  
"Maybe it had something to do with that last argument that half the street heard," she answered slightly sarcastically, starting to get annoyed at his constant interruptions.  
  
"Look," she continued more kindly this time, "if I was you I'd go now. There's still the slightest chance that you could catch her." His anger had quickly turned to depression after hearing that he was never to see his best friend again. So it was with great vigour that Ron clutched at the straws Lavender gave him and he quickly leapt from the chair and sprang towards the doorway. "SHE'S LEAVING ON A BOAT ON THE WEST BANK!" she called to him as he disappeared from sight.  
  
"I'M BORROWING A HORSE!" he shouted back though she only heard it as a whisper on the wind and ignored the clunking sound of something small bouncing back down the stairs.  
  
AN: Forgive me for this chapter the next one is the one you've been waiting for –or at least it's been the one I've been waiting for. I just hope that I can pull it off as well as I want to. 


	8. Thank god for that

AN: My favourite part  
  
Disclaimer: I am an alien from Sedna and therefore cannot own HP. That is unless JK is also an alien- hmmm... there's an idea.  
  
Chapter 8- Thank God For That  
  
Overhead the sun was setting casting its oranges and reds upon the sky. But the vivid colours were muted by the clouds above. Hermione got out of the carriage, which had been graciously lent to her by the Prince, and made her way towards the boat that would take her away from her mistakes of the past. She would be able to stop feeling guilty about how she'd treated Lavender and maybe try to move on from Ron.  
  
Krum had kept trying to persuade her to say goodbye properly, right up to the end, but she'd resisted. If she saw Ron she'd get upset, if he could see her distressed he'd ask what was wrong and if he did that well... then she'd tell him how she felt. He'd laugh at her- or worse, pity her and say that he loved her but only as a friend. No. Better to have her last memories of him as ones that made her smile.  
  
So, with a heavy heart, her foot rested on the end of the gangplank as she paused to cast one last look around her old home. Sighing she made her way onto the boat.  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
"Faster! Faster!" Ron yelled at the horse he'd borrowed, "You'd think that even a stupid animal like you would understand that THIS IS IMPORTANT!" The horse seemed to hear him and increased the speed of its gallop, "Thank you," he breathed.  
  
Eventually the port just came into sight. "Hermione! HERMIONE!" he yelled again and again at the silhouetted figure treading up the walkway of the moored ship.  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
This was it. Hermione stood on the boat and watched as the sailors started to remove the boarding ramp.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
She thought she heard a shout but dismissed it as the wind. Luckily the crew didn't, instead they looked towards the road. Hermione turned to see what they were staring at and gasped in surprise at what- or who- lay before her.  
  
Ron stared at her, winded as he tried to slide off his faithful steed in style. Instead he fell unceremoniously and landed in a heap on the ground. Laughter brought Hermione back to her senses. "What the hell do you think your doing?" she half sniggered half cried as he brushed the dust off his clothes.  
  
"Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life," he said gallantly. It had the tone of being rehearsed, like he'd been working out what to say for a while, and immediately the evening air filled with tension.  
  
"What?" she questioned while Ron got his breath back and silently prayed that Lavender had been telling the truth. If she hadn't then he was about to look like a prize idiot.  
  
"Okay I could be making a huge mistake here," he told the ground nervously, "but as you're leaving anyway I figure that things can't get any worse."  
  
"What are you going on about Ron?" Hermione asked incredulously, not daring to hope that he was here for her.  
  
"I found out that that you weren't marrying Vicky... tor," he corrected after a glare, "and I suppose I just had to find out... why that was?"  
  
So far this whole conversation had taken place at either end of the gangplank, which was surrounded by curious sailors watching quite a good show. However they soon disappeared after a look from Ron, leaving the couple alone, standing in silence and not quite making eye contact.  
  
Finally Hermione broke the silence. "Why do you care?" she whispered.  
  
"Maybe because one minute you're happy with Krum, next you're leaving the country." Not knowing what to do he fell to the tried and tested (if not successfully) method of conveniently forgetting the truth and instead, relying on what he knew, "It was Krum wasn't it? Did that git do something to you because if he did I'll-"  
  
"Ron!" she admonished, "No he didn't hurt me and you know full well that I can take care of myself."  
  
Ron felt his heart beat faster, "Why then?" he asked. After a pause of heavy silence he stepped on to the gangplank and took a couple of cautious steps towards, her waiting for an answer.  
  
"The reason I left..." she spoke brokenly, "the reason I left was because... because... I realised that I was in love with someone else."  
  
Ron moved slightly closer, "And is he waiting where this boat docks?"  
  
She looked up at him finally meeting his eyes, they were the epitome of nervousness and perfectly mirrored her own. "No," she whispered, "he's right here."  
  
"Then why are you running away?" All Ron could think was _please be talking about me, please be talking about me.  
_  
"Because he doesn't feel the same way." Now she was starting to get a little angry, any minute now she'd slip and tell him everything.  
  
Ron edged closer until they were only a step apart, "Are you sure about that?"  
  
"Yes," she almost squeaked.  
  
"Did you tell him how you felt?"  
  
"No," she admitted grudgingly.  
  
Ron kept pushing, "Then how can you know?"  
  
"Because he wouldn't be stupid enough to fall for his best friend!" she finally snapped.  
  
It was the sign he needed and with it he reached towards her nervous face and gently stroked her hair. "I don't know about that. I know I can be pretty stupid sometimes," he whispered in her ear. Hermione gasped quietly at his touch but didn't back away. Seeing this as a good sign he closed the gap between them completely. As their lips met softly both gave themselves to each other wholly and let the world around them fade away.  
  
............................................................................................................  
  
After Ron had left ungainly by horse Harry had done his best to follow, but you can't get far when you have tiny legs and your head is a few millimetres off the floor. Luckily a mail cart was going in the right direction and he managed to catch a ride. The journey was anything but fun as he hazardously clung on to the wheel axel. Nonetheless it was part of the job and he wasn't going to miss this ending for anything in the world.  
  
Finally the cart slowed before it took a wrong turning and he managed to jump off without breaking any bones. But the painful clamber to the shore was worth it when he saw two familiar figures become one under the setting sun of a clear sky.  
  
"Thank god for that," he muttered before collapsing with fatigue.  
  
AN: I hope that lived up to any expectations you had. It has been really difficult to keep the characters in well... character. Anyway just the epilogue left and it's finished.  
  
Thank you to all of those lovely reviewers after the last chapter and those who have stuck with the story. The last part will be out hopefully by the end of the week. 


	9. Epilogue

AN: Thank you for reading.  
  
Disclaimer: If you haven't worked it out by now you must be as dumb as Ron during the 4th book.  
  
Epilogue  
  
"So everything worked out then, "said a human Harry as he plonked himself down next to a normal dressed Ginny. The two of them were resting on a grassy hill, watching the festivities below.  
  
"Yep, looks like your stupid idea of symbolic sweets managed to get _two_ couples together."  
  
"Well I couldn't have done it without you," he smiled with an all to innocent look on his face.  
  
"Suck up," she laughed.  
  
"I know."  
  
They gazed at the horse and carriage as it trundled down the road towards the marquee.  
  
"I see you got promoted then," said Ginny to fill the silence.  
  
"Sort of. I get to be a horse this time. Apparently there's a prince somewhere that has to be accidentally on purposely bucked at a crossroads where-"  
  
"Hang on let me guess," she interrupted, "A maid with a hidden heritage will be innocently passing by."  
  
"Yep. It's not too complicated, after all, the second couple only worked out because I messed up the first one."  
  
Being so high up they got a birds eye view of the celebration below. They could see two disgruntled Malfoys being ignored as the wife-to-be started walking down the isle to the easily recognisable march. Behind her walked her bridesmaids with Hermione carrying the train.  
  
"So when did all this happen," asked Harry gesturing at the crowd.  
  
A secretive smile appeared on Ginny's lips. "Ah," she explained all knowingly, "while you were following Ron around I was setting up encounters between the couple that should have got together that night at the ball. Hermione's letter helped of course."  
  
"So Krum wasn't at the docks to see Hermione off because..."  
  
"He had this very urgent desire to make sure that Lavender was okay after the note."  
  
"You do realise that that made Krum seem a little heartless don't you."  
  
"It might have done but," she looked him straight in the eye, "I knew that you could sort out our earlier mess."  
  
Harry blushed slightly at the compliment. He cleared his throat to break up whatever it was there that was forming. "The Malfoys don't look happy," he commented to fill another silence.  
  
"Well they've got wind of the fact that they won't be using the prince as their own personal treasury. I hear that Mr Malfoy was especially... upset about that."  
  
"So where are you off to next?" asked Harry.  
  
"To be honest I don't know. Just as long as I don't have to wear a fluffy, pink dress and sing to any birds I'll be fine."  
  
They both laughed but Ginny stopped when she looked down again. "Arrh," she crooned.  
  
"What?" His eyes followed Ginny's finger to where Ron had just kissed Hermione lightly on the cheek as she sat down next to him to watch the ceremony. As Ginny put her hand make down it accidentally landed on Harry's and they both jumped in surprise. "Sorry," she laughed as they both stood up.  
  
"No worries," Harry smiled. "Do think it's time we went and paid our respects?"  
  
Ginny nodded and they both made their way slowly down the hill.  
  
"Hey Gin," Harry asked when they were about halfway down, "fancy a blackberry sweet." He'd pulled a bag out of his pocket.  
  
"No thanks, I don't like the blue ones just the red."  
  
"Well that suits me fine," he said popping the blue bonbon into his mouth and handing her a red one, "Can't stand the reds myself."  
  
THE END  
  
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Long AN: There you go it's finished. It's kind of sad finishing my first fiction but oh well life moves on. Oh and I just couldn't resist a bit of H/GW at the end there, sorry.  
  
So if you've waited till the end of the fic NOW is the time to review. I've refrained from asking this throughout the story so NOW would be a great time to CLICK the little BLUE BUTTON.  
  
I will probably revise the whole thing in a couple of months to bring it all up to standard so any constructive comments would be appreciated- I'm not saying that I'll agree with you but it would make my inbox look more interesting. Lol.  
  
Now then many of you may have noticed certain characters appearing in my text from the HP books not directly related to the story. Chosen for their personality traits and not their relationship with the other characters how many did you spot?  
  
1 point for Winky in chapter 5 2 points for Colin Creevy in ch6 And finally 10 points for those who saw Percy Wesley's alter ego in ch2.  
  
A thanks to all of my reviewers, whether you're still with me or not, I love you all!  
  
BrownPryde BrokenRain- (special thanks as I think you've reviewed every chapter) Amy-Chris eMeRaLd'S gUrL Sera Cadiblack Tiggieotoo Tiffiany-45 Ltnaconejita Echome Arianne Lady Norbert LuthienGranger2004 SarcasmSage Legofiance OneDayFamous Gasoline Ruby  
  
Sorry if I missed anyone.  
  
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By the way, coming soon to a fanfiction site near you: -  
  
Harry Potter and the One Where Everyone Finds Out

A HP fic with a Friends twist


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